Charlotte's Song
by unsnappedelphie
Summary: Set after COE. Jack returns for the birth of Gwen's baby Charlotte, who ends up with a life neither of them expected.
1. Charlotte's Birth

Charlotte's Song – Torchwood FanFic

Jack Harkness left Gwen Cooper behind three months ago. When Jack left her crying on the top of the hill she was six months and three weeks pregnant. When Gwen Cooper goes into labour she doesn't know it'll be the day Jack returns.

Gwen had been in labour for nine hours and she was now at the final stage. Fully dilated etcetera and was ready to have her baby.

"Ok Gwen one more push" the midwife smiled.

"Excuse me Miss Cooper, there's someone who'd like to see you" said another nurse as she stuck her head round the door.

"Who?" Gwen said impatiently.

"Jack Harkness" the nurse told her.

Gwen looked up at Rhys and then back at the nurse.

"Send him in" Gwen said, before looking back at Rhys.

"You didn't think I'd miss this did you?" Jack smiled at Gwen.

Gwen smiled back and grabbed his hand. Gwen squashed Rhys and Jack's hands hard as she pushed and finally heard the screaming of her baby.

"It's a girl" the midwife smiled as she cut the cord.

Gwen smiled as tears ran down her cheeks. Jack kissed the top of Gwen's head as the nurse handed her her newborn daughter.

"What are you gonna call her?" Jack asked.

"I always liked Charlotte" Gwen smiled.

The three looked down at the baby in Gwen's arms and agreed.

"Charlotte, perfect" Jack said happily.

"She's beautiful" Rhys smiled as he held his daughter's hand.

"With a Mum like me how could she not be" Gwen laughed.

Charlotte wriggled in Gwen's arms and she smiled as Charlotte reached up to her.

"She's so perfect" Gwen smiled down at her.


	2. Betrayal

Two weeks later...

Jack walked up the driveway to Gwen's new house. He'd never been inside before but couldn't wait to see Charlotte again.

"Hey Jack" Gwen smiled as she opened the door.

She led him into the living room where Charlotte was lying in her moses basket. Gwen walked over and lifted her up.

"I still can't believe how pretty she is" Jack smiled.

"Here can you take her for a minute?" Gwen asked, handing Charlotte to Jack.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked Gwen as she sat down on the sofa.

"I'm so tired" Gwen said as she ran her hand through her hair.

"It's tough isn't it" Jack said gently as he sat down next to her.

"I can't do it anymore Jack, it's too hard." Gwen said negatively.

"Hey, don't think like that, it's tough on everyone at first but don't give up, you'll be ok?" Jack smiled reassuringly.

"I don't know Jack" Gwen said sadly.

"Hey come on," Jack smiled, "Charlotte needs you."

Gwen didn't reply but Jack put his arm round her and she leant her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you so much" Gwen said softly.

"I missed you too" Jack smiled.

Gwen then looked up at Jack who gazed back at her. Jack brushed Gwen's hair behind her ears and then she made the first move. Gwen leant in and kissed Jack. This happened to be the moment that Rhys walked in.

As Gwen pulled away she noticed Rhys standing there and went to say something but he just made his way up the stairs.

Gwen got away from Jack and ran after Rhys who was in their bedroom packing a bag.

"Rhys please," Gwen didn't want this to happen.

"You cheated on me Gwen he's been back two weeks and you're already kissing him." Rhys said angrily as he shoved clothes in a holdall.

"Rhys what about Charlotte?" Gwen asked.

"She's my daughter Gwen but you've betrayed me, I need to get away from here." Rhys said still mad as he packed the last few things and then made his way back downstairs.

"Rhys please, I can't look after her by myself" Gwen begged.

"Yeah well for now you're gonna have to try because I don't want anything to do with you." Rhys shouted before leaving.

Tears were running down Gwen's cheeks, she slid down the wall next to the door as Jack left the living room.

"Gwen" he started.

"I think you should go" Gwen interrupted tearfully.

Jack left Gwen's house, upset that he'd been the one to leave Charlotte with separated parents and she was only two weeks old.

Gwen and Jack didn't talk to each other for a month. Rhys went back to see Gwen and Charlotte once, a week after he left to get the rest of his things and then he left Charlotte behind again. Gwen was upset that Charlotte would probably never have a Dad around.


	3. Getting Together

Jack made the first move to getting back in touch with Gwen and Charlotte. He realised a month had been enough time away from them and so he decided to pay them a visit.

"Jack" Gwen said as she opened the door to him, almost sounding disappointed he was there.

"Look Gwen we need to sort this out" Jack said pleadingly as he sat down next to Charlotte's rocker bye.

"I know" Gwen said as she sat down next to Jack.

"I'm so sorry for what happened and I hate that Charlotte doesn't have Rhys anymore. I just want us to be friends?" Jack asked carefully.

"I was hoping that's what you'd say." Gwen smiled before hugging Jack.

"Well I don't know what I'd do without you Gwen" Jack smiled back.

Gwen then lifted Charlotte out of rocker bye and she smiled up at Gwen.

"So how are we gonna go about rebuilding Torchwood?" Gwen asked Jack.

"Well" Jack smiled.

Jack explained everything to Gwen in between playing with Charlotte and laughing.

For the next one and half months Jack spent a lot of time with Charlotte and Gwen and it was quite tough on Gwen when she had to face the fact that Rhys wasn't coming back.

As Charlotte reaches three months old Jack decides that spending time with Gwen as a friend is killing him, he wants more.

"Hey, wow this place is starting to look good" Gwen smiled as she walked inside the hub with a hard hat on.

Most of the hub was still under rubble but over half of the main area was now cleared and the whole area would soon be visible again.

"It's coming together" Jack smiled back at Gwen.

"This place, my life hasn't been the same without it" Gwen said happily as she looked around.

"I missed it, when it's finished, you'll never know it was blown up." Jack smiled proudly.

"Jack I've been meaning to talk to you about something" Gwen started.

"If this is what I've been meaning to talk to you about then please can I go first?" Jack asked as he took Gwen's hand.

"I think we wanna talk about the same thing" Gwen smiled.

"This is so hard Gwen. Being around you every day and not being able to do anything about the way I feel. I love you Gwen and I don't know how much more of just being friends I can take." Jack said sweetly.

"You do feel the same" Gwen smiled happily.

Jack was now more than happy that Gwen had been feeling the same all along, she wanted the same thing.

Jack leant in and kissed Gwen gently. She moved her arms behind his neck and he cupped his hand around her cheek. They were perfect.

"So how are we gonna do this?" Jack asked as they pulled away.

"Charlotte needs to know" Gwen smiled.

"I doubt she'll understand but we can give it a go?" Jack smiled back.

Gwen, who was still holding Jack's hand, led him out of the hub and back up into the bay.

"Where is she by the way?" Jack asked as they walked up the steps.

"She's at the nursery over the road" Gwen said before crossing and running inside to pick Charlotte up.

Jack waited and Gwen came back out with Charlotte in her pushchair and they walked back to the cafe next to the water tower.

Gwen sat down and lifted Charlotte from her pram and wrapped her in her blanket.

"So are we gonna agree on something about you know Charlotte and us?" Jack asked Gwen.

"Would you act as her Dad?" Gwen asked back.

"What d'you mean?" Jack asked.

"Well her Dad's not here anymore, he gave up the right to be a Dad to her but she still needs a Dad and if we're gonna be together then Charlotte comes with me. I want you to be a Dad to her, play a more important role than just a stepdad?" Gwen asked hopefully.

"I," Jack started before taking Charlotte off Gwen, "agree and promise to always be a Dad to Charlotte Elizabeth Cooper."

Gwen smiled back before leaning in and kissing Jack, they were the perfect little family.

In the six months that followed Jack moved in with Gwen and Charlotte and Rhys didn't contact them once. Gwen though had moved on, the hub was rebuilt and they worked in it, Torchwood Three was back as Jack had said and Gwen was happy. Charlotte was happy to live and have Jack around and he definitely bonded with her, treating her like his own. Gwen was pleased that she seemed to have the perfect little family.


	4. I Love You

As Charlotte reaches nine months old...

Gwen got a call from her parents. Gwen's parents didn't spend much time with Charlotte and wanted to treat them and so invited her and Gwen on a weekend away down on the coast and Gwen agreed, thinking Charlotte should spend some time with her grandparents. Gwen had asked Jack if he'd like to come but he'd refused saying that someone needed to run Torchwood and keep monitoring the rift. So it ended just being Gwen and Charlotte.

"You look after Mummy eh" Jack smiled as he held Charlotte for the last time before buckling her in Gwen's car.

"We'll be fine" Gwen smiled as she kissed Jack's lips tenderly.

"I'll miss you" Jack said sweetly.

"It is only two days" Gwen said positively.

"I know but" Jack started.

"I know" Gwen nodded with a smile before kissing Jack again.

She then got in the driver's seat while her parents got in the car as Gwen wound down her window.

"I'll call you as soon as we get there" she smiled before driving off.

Jack was lost, he was gonna be so bored without Charlotte to play with and Gwen to help him in the hub.

Two days later...

It was early on the Monday morning, Gwen, Charlotte and her parents would be heading home. Before Jack left for the hub he sat down on Gwen's bed and pulled a little box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring. He was still trying to work out how he was going to propose to Gwen and then he had the perfect idea. He placed the open box on her pillow and then left the house.

Jack made his way into the hub as usual and was distracted by his mobile ringing. It was 8:30 and when he took it out of his pocket it wasn't Gwen's number on the screen, it was a private number.

Jack answered it reluctantly but was shocked when the voice on the other end was from a hospital, the hospital in the town where Gwen, Charlotte and her parents had been staying.

"You need to get down here now, there's been an accident, I heard you're Gwen Cooper's boyfriend?" the doctor said in a rather dull tone.

"Yeah, I'm coming" Jack said worriedly before snapping his phone shut and running out of the hub.

Jack arrived an hour later at the hospital and was directed to the right ward where he ran up to reception desk.

"I'm here to see Gwen Cooper" he said to the nurse.

"Ah you must be Jack Harkness" came a male doctor's voice from behind him.

"Yeah that's me" he said as he turned around.

"I'm Dr West, if you'd like to follow me" he said before leading Jack around a corner and to the entrance of a side room.

Jack waited outside as the doctor went into the room and emerged with Charlotte in her rocker bye.

"Someone's been waiting to see you" the doctor smiled.

"Hey gorgeous" Jack smiled as he lifted Charlotte out of her rocker bye.

Charlotte smiled at Jack as he hugged her before balancing her on his hip.

"So um her Mum Gwen, where is she?" Jack asked as Charlotte reached for her teddy.

Jack bent down and reached just as Dr West gestured for him to sit down.

"Is she ok?" Jack asked as he sat Charlotte on his lap.

"The accident, Gwen's car was teetering on the edge of cliff; she hit a pot hole and lost control of the car. Gwen's parents got out, and then Gwen made them get Charlotte out first. Gwen's leg was jammed under the steering column and by the time rescue got there it was too late; the car had already gone over. I'm really sorry, Gwen didn't make it." Dr West said trying to keep calm and sound sorry.

"No," Jack said softly as tears ran down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, for your loss" Dr West said before leaving Jack and Charlotte alone.

When Charlotte realised something was wrong she too started crying and Jack knew she knew her Mum was gone as she reached for the blanket that Gwen always wrapped her in.


	5. Charlotte's First Birthday

Jack wrapped a tearful Charlotte up and then carried her away, before signing papers for her and she was discharged.

Jack then took her down to the room where Gwen was, he wanted to say goodbye.

"Um are sure you want to take the baby in?" the nurse asked Jack as he opened the door to Gwen.

"I'm sure" he said bluntly before entering and closing the door behind him.

Jack walked over to Gwen, her body was so white but she had been cleaned up, she still had a cut on forehead though.

Jack sat down in the chair next to her with Charlotte who had stopped crying and sat calmly as Jack clasped Gwen's hand and kissed it.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Charlotte began to get upset so Jack leant in and kissed Gwen's lips before standing up.

"I love you" he said gently through his tears before leaving.

Charlotte was now crying properly again too and so Jack thought it best to take her home.

When Jack entered the house he headed straight upstairs to Gwen's room and looked at the ring on the bed before sitting in the chair in the corner and looking around him. All the photos of him and Gwen with Charlotte, everything she'd loved so much.

Charlotte who had stopped crying in the car began crying again.

"Hey, it's ok Charlotte" Jack said softly as he hugged her.

One week later...

It was the day of Gwen's funeral. Jack was dressed normally, he didn't want to dress in black but he still dressed Charlotte in black and then wrapped her in a navy blue blanket and put her black bobble hat on before leaving the house.

Jack sat in silence for the funeral clutching Charlotte and not wanting to let her go. He was the first to follow the coffin out of the church and into the graveyard. He stood with Charlotte as Gwen's parents spoke and so did the vicar before Gwen's coffin was lowered into the ground.

"Jack" came the voice of Gwen's Mum as he walked off after the service.

"Mrs Cooper" he said as he turned around still holding Charlotte.

"We know you loved her and this has been hard on you, we feel the same. So if you ever want to talk." She said kindly.

"Thank you" Jack smiled before walking off with Charlotte.

The hardest event for Jack was yet to come though. Three months had passed since Gwen's death and it was Charlotte's first birthday. Jack couldn't bare the fact that Gwen was missing such an important event in her daughter's life, he was also angry that Rhys had only sent a card in the post, no present, no visit nothing.

But Jack had promised Gwen that he'd be Charlotte's Dad and so he was the one who spoiled her with lots of presents but the thing that got him was a letter he'd found in Gwen's dressing table.

It had a list of five things she was planning on buying for Charlotte's first birthday and so Jack had been out and found them. The present at the top of the list was what got Jack though. He had also found in Gwen's drawer and old jewellery box. Gwen had obviously had it since she was little and it was blue with an ancient ballerina in it but it still worked.

As Jack helped Charlotte unwrap it on her birthday he noticed for the first time that the top shelf of the box came out and under it was a note.

With Charlotte in his arms Jack unfolded it and it only had a few words written on it but Jack knew Gwen hadn't planned on missing Charlotte's birthday.

He read it aloud to Charlotte;

Charlotte,

Happy 1st Birthday

Love you always,

Mum x

It was obviously what Gwen had planned on writing on a tag or something and she'd got excited and written it down for practice and kept it safe in the box.

Jack had invited some of the kids from Charlotte's nursery for her first birthday party and they were all smiles as they ran around in the garden.

Jack smiled as Charlotte's grandparents helped her blow out the candle on her cake and at the end of the day Jack knew Gwen would have been happy with the way it turned out.


	6. Rhys' Return

Three months later...

Charlotte had been spending more time with Jack at the hub who had been going through millions of files trying to work out who to recruit to the new Torchwood.

Jack was walking through the bay with Charlotte holding his hands, he'd been so upset when Gwen hadn't been around for her first steps but he knew she'd been watching.

Jack then lifted Charlotte up and pointed out at things on the horizon and she giggled as Jack spun her round.

"Jack Harkness?" came the voice of a woman behind him.

"Yeah that's me" he said as he spun round.

"I'm Ashleigh Brown, I'm Rhys Williams' lawyer, I wanted to give you this." She said handing Jack a folder before leaving again.

Jack opened the folder and read; it clearly stated that Rhys was going to fight Jack for custody of Charlotte.

"I'm not gonna give you up without a fight" Jack said sweetly before kissing the top of Charlotte's head.

Jack walked carrying Charlotte all the way to the castle gardens where he let her walk around and she crawled about happily.

Jack sat down with her on a bench and she drank the juice that Jack gave her until a voice behind them distracted her.

"Jack" Rhys said.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked angrily.

"I don't wanna argue Jack; I just wanna see my daughter." Rhys said calmly.

"You haven't seen her in over a year, you walked out on her Rhys, you gave up the chance to be her Dad." Jack was almost shouting.

Charlotte then wriggled out of Jack's arms and he put her down on the grass and let Rhys sit down.

"Rhys you can't take her away from me, I've looked after her longer than you have. I love her so much." Jack begged.

"I know you do Jack and this isn't me taking her away, she needs to be with her father it's the best place for her." Rhys tried to reason with Jack.

"Rhys you haven't been a father to her, I have." Jack shouted.

"She's still my daughter Jack," Rhys shouted back.

"You gave up the right to be her Dad when you walked out on her and Gwen." Jack was now so angry.

"You'd still get to see her but I think she needs to stay with me." Rhys said, calming himself down.

"Rhys," Jack started but then he looked around the bench they were sitting on, Charlotte had gone.

"We were only talking for a few minutes, she can't have gone far." Rhys said as he got up.

"Charlotte" Jack shouted as he looked around.

"Come on she can't walk that fast." Rhys said as he and Jack took off to look for her.

"Charlotte" Jack called again.

"Charlotte" Rhys took his turn.

After five minutes of searching Jack turned a corner and noticed the most beautiful flowerbed and Charlotte was sitting next to it picking a daisy apart.

"Oh god, Charlotte" Jack said happily as he ran over and lifted her up.

"Sorry" Charlotte said cutely.

"Hey don't ever walk off again, eh," Jack smiled as he kissed her cheek.

Rhys then walked over to Jack and took Charlotte off him and hugged her before handing her back.

"I'll drop the case." Rhys said with a slight smile.

"But" Jack started.

"It's not worth fighting Jack, almost losing her. She belongs here, with you and I'm not gonna try and take her." Rhys said reasonably.

"Thank you, so much" Jack smiled before hugging Charlotte.

"But I would like shared custody, she's still my daughter and I'd like to see her but she can live with you." Rhys said as they walked back out of the gardens.

"Of course" Jack agreed.

"Oh and by the way, I have a new girlfriend now, Naomi. She's just had a baby Natalie." Rhys smiled as he handed Jack a photo of Naomi and Natalie.

"Your daughter's beautiful" Jack smiled before handing the photo back.

"I'll see you soon Jack." Rhys said before kissing Charlotte and walking away as she waved.

"Come on sweetie" Jack smiled as he carried Charlotte home.


	7. She Belongs

When Jack returned home he changed Charlotte's clothes and then put her to bed for a nap. Just as he was leaving Charlotte's room he had a flashback.

He remembered finding his Dad dead on the beach, how he felt, heartbroken at losing the father he'd loved so much. Then he remembered his Mum begging him to tell her he knew where his little brother Gray was but he hadn't known. They'd been separated and Jack had lost the little brother he wanted to spend so much time with.

When the flashback finished Jack realised he was doing the wrong thing. He was being selfish. This wasn't about him. He loved Charlotte so much but he knew it wasn't him or Rhys. It was about a little girl who should be with her sister.

Jack made his way downstairs and phoned Rhys.

"Hi Jack, wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon." Rhys said happily as he answered the phone.

"Look Rhys I know what we said about Charlotte staying with me and having shared custody but it's wrong. This isn't about me or you; it's about a little girl who belongs with her sister and her Dad. I want you to have Charlotte." Jack said sadly.

"But Jack" Rhys started.

"No Rhys, she doesn't belong with me." Jack said emotionally.

"Can you come down here, a bit later on and pick her up?" Jack asked.

"Sure" Rhys said calmly before hanging up.

Jack put his phone down and then headed back upstairs to Charlotte's room. She hadn't gone to sleep she was still lying awake. Jack lifted her out of her cot and sat her on the floor.

Charlotte was still smiling as Jack got all her bags out and opened them up. He packed all her clothes and the things out of the bathroom and kitchen and then moved on to all the shelves and her cot full of teddies.

Charlotte giggled as Jack waved each of her toys in front of her before reassuring her they'd be ok in the bags.

In forty-five minutes all of her things were packed up and he took the last item of her windowsill. Gwen's jewellery box. He opened it and twisted the key, watching the ballerina go round with Charlotte for one last time before putting it in a bag.

Jack took all of Charlotte's things downstairs along with her pushchair and other things like it before going back upstairs and picking her up. He spun her round and let her have one last look at the bedroom before taking her downstairs and leaving her in the living room whilst he went into the dining room and wrote something for her.

When Rhys arrived Jack helped him pack everything into the back of his car.

"Can I just take her for one last walk?" Jack asked as he picked Charlotte up off the sofa in the living room.

"Are you sure you don't want to visit?" Rhys asked.

"It'll upset and disrupt her settling in if I'm there and then leaving all the time, I'll see her at Christmas' and birthdays but right now it's time for me to let her go." Jack said sadly before leaving the house.


	8. Charlotte's Song

Jack walked out into the garden and sat on the swing that was hooked on the big tree with Charlotte on his lap.

"You've got to understand Charlotte, I love you and as much as it hurts me to do this you belong with your Daddy and your little sister Natalie. I know that I've looked after you for a long time and that we both loved Mummy so much. Charlotte I will never truly let you go but it's the best thing for you right now." Jack said softly.

"Jack" Charlotte said happily as she reached for her ball that was on the ground.

Jack picked the ball up and gave it to her before pulling out the piece of paper he'd written on before Rhys arrived.

"This is for you, it's a song. When your older you can put a tune to it and I'll help you ok? You'll always have something to remember me with but I'll never lose touch with you Charlotte ever." Jack said before hugging her and carrying back out to the driveway.

Jack kissed Charlotte before buckling her in Rhys' car.

"Look mate, this is for her so make sure she gets it. I want her to keep it forever, don't let her forget me." Jack said as he handed Rhys the piece of paper.

"I won't Jack, she'll know all about you and her Mum." Rhys smiled as he took the paper and then got in his car.

Jack waved to Charlotte as Rhys pulled out of the driveway and then Jack made his way back into the house, tears rolling down his cheeks, he'd given away the last part of Gwen.

When Rhys got back to his house he sat down with Charlotte on his lap and unfolded Jack's piece of paper and this is what it read.

Charlotte's Song

This is your home  
and always will be  
you take it with you  
when you go  
and we'll be here  
and you belong  
it's important that you know

know we love you  
know you're precious  
one day soon you'll understand  
not today  
and not tomorrow  
but you will know, you'll know in time

you'll understand

Go with our blessing  
hurry back  
there'll be such joy when you return  
yes we'll be here  
we'll always love you  
that's all you need to know

yes we love you  
hold the feeling  
when you have the words to say  
you'll understand  
before tomorrow  
that this had to be the way

you'll understand

Xxxx

**Lyrics – Rebecca Lavelle – Charlotte's Song – McLeod's Daughters**


End file.
